Coveney, Simon

Tuesday, 19 April 2011

Was asked: when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive their payment for the agri-environment options scheme 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Under the EU Regulations governing the Agri-Environment Options Scheme and other area-based payment schemes, a comprehensive administrative check, including cross-checks with the Land Parcel Identific...

Written Answers - Animal Identification Scheme

Was asked: further to Parliamentary Question No. 75 of April 2011, the reason he believes a system for food traceability and disease control and public safety is more important for goats and horses than for dee...

Ireland’s system of mandatory registration of animals, including goats and horses, is in accordance with the EU requirements on identification for live animals. Farmed deer do not require individual r...

Written Answers - Harbours and Piers

Was asked: if he will respond to an issue (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Responsibility for the management of Howth Harbour transferred to the Minister for the Marine in 1989 with Howth being designated a Fishery Harbour Centre with effect from 1 January 1990. At that date...

Written Answers - Grant Payments

Was asked: if he will review a single farm payment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Limerick.

The person named was the subject of an inspection by the Animal Health Division of my Department on 15 February 2010. This inspection uncovered discrepancies that involved the failure to notify moveme...

Written Answers - Aquaculture Licences

Was asked: the position regarding recent licence applications for mussel farm sites at a location (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

My Department has received a number of new applications for sites in Killmackilloge harbour which are currently being processed in the normal way, including a period of public consultation. The consid...

Written Answers - Ministerial Staff

Was asked: the numbers, duties and grades of all persons within his Department who are assigned to work on constituency matters for him and any other Ministers assigned to his Department.

The following is the information requested.

Written Answers - Grant Payments

Was asked: when payment of a suckler herd scheme application will issue in respect of persons (details attached) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

This person named registered 41 animals under the 2010 Suckler Welfare Scheme. All of the application validation processes are now complete and payment in full will shortly be issued to the applicant.

Written Answers - Direct Payment Schemes

Was asked: if he has introduced a new stricter interpretation of what is eligible land for the single farm payment, different from that during the initial reference period of 2000 to 2002 with the result that m...

Payments under the Single Payment Scheme may be made only in respect of eligible land and applicants under the Scheme are obliged annually to declare the land parcels available to them. Details of the...

Was asked: when a decision will issue on an appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Mayo; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The application failed the environmental profile check and a letter issued informing the person named that he was ineligible for the scheme. The person named submitted an appeal and based on the addit...

Written Answers - Fisheries Protection

Was asked: if he will consider addressing a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The EU Fisheries Councils in November and December 2008 adopted a new Cod Recovery Plan, as set out in Council Regulation (EC) No. 1342/2008 and Annex IIa of the 2009 TAC and Quota Regulation (EC) No....

Written Answers - Direct Payment Schemes

Was asked: his plans regarding any additional percentage payment on environmental schemes in acknowledgement of the additional costs of farming on the islands; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Payments under agri-environmental schemes must be made in accordance with the terms of Ireland’s Rural Development Programme as approved by the European Commission. The current approval for the Agri-e...

Written Answers - Agricultural Education Programmes

Was asked: his plans to introduce distance learning programmes for students who are attending agricultural colleges on part-time courses (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Under the Agriculture, (Research, Training and Advice) Act, 1988, Teagasc has statutory responsibility for the provision of education, research and advisory services to the Agriculture sector. It is a...

Written Answers - Grant Payments

Was asked: when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive their outstanding 25% REPS 4 payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The person named commenced the contract period in REPS 4 in August 2009 and received the year 1 payments in November and December 2009. The first instalment of 75% of the year 2 payment was paid on 24...

Was asked: if a payment may be made to a farmer (details supplied) in County Laois in respect of loss of earnings due to the bad weather; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

There was no scheme operated by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to compensate beet farmers for losses incurred due to the adverse weather conditions in 2010.

Written Answers - Animal Welfare

Was asked: the action he will take regarding greyhounds (detail supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Bord na gCon is a commercial State Body. The Board of Bord na gCon is responsible for leading and directing the activities of the Company. My Department is aware that Bord na gCon is exploring possibl...

Written Answers - Grant Payments

Was asked: the position regarding a grant in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The case referred to by the Deputy is being examined within my Department and a further reply will issue to the person named as soon as possible.

Was asked: the position regarding the payment from the suckler cow welfare scheme in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The person named registered 2 beef breed animals in 2009 and 4 beef breed animals in 2010 under the Suckler Welfare Scheme. To date payment has issued in respect of one animal. Errors have been identi...

Was asked: the position regarding single farm payment in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Wexford; when final payment will issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Under EU Regulations governing the Single Payment Scheme entitlements must be used at least once in each two-year period. ‘Used’ in this context means that a Single Payment application must be submitt...

Written Answers - Animal Welfare

Was asked: if he will review a matter (details supplied) regarding greyhounds.

Bord na gCon is a commercial State Body. The Board of Bord na gCon is responsible for leading and directing the activities of the Company. My Department is aware that Bord na gCon is exploring possibl...

Was asked: his plans to give approval to Bord na gCon to allow the Irish Greyhound Board to send Irish greyhounds to the People’s Republic of China; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that China does n...

Bord na gCon is a commercial State Body. The Board of Bord na gCon is responsible for leading and directing the activities of the Company. My Department is aware that Bord na gCon is exploring possibl...

Written Answers - Grant Payments

Was asked: if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the sheep census form for 2010 was mislaid by his Department in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; if he will conduct an invest...

I assume that the Deputy is referring to the 2009 census form which was used to calculate the first instalment of the Grassland Sheep Scheme which was paid to eligible flock owners in February this ye...

Was asked: when payment will issue to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The holding of the person concerned has been restricted under the TB and Brucellosis Eradication Scheme since 6 May 2009. Following the recent resolution of a discrepancy issue in the herd, a payment ...

Written Answers - Departmental Bodies

Was asked: the date on which Bord Iascaigh Mhara processed the application of Iascairí Chois Chósta Iorrais Teoranta for the Marine Stewardship Council Standard.

Bord Iascaigh Mhara is an independent statutory body and hence the processing of applications is a matter for the Board. The Department has forwarded the request to the BIM for its consideration and f...

Written Answers - Honey Production

Was asked: the estimated amount of honey produced here in 2008, 2009 and 2010; the value of the honey produced in each of those years; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

My Department estimates the value and production of honey during the period 2008, 2009 and 2010 as: Weather conditions can have a major impact on the bees’ foraging activity and, as a consequence, on...

Written Answers - Grant Payments

Was asked: when REPS 4 and suckler cow payments will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The person named commenced REPS 4 in June 2008. The person named received the year 1 payments in July and November 2009 and the year 2 payments in December 2009 and March 2010. The first instalment of...